EOCO re-opens Cecilia Dapaah's case

The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has officially reopened investigations into the case involving former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, following a renewed request from the agency’s new leadership.

This development was confirmed by Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng during a press conference in Accra on the evening of Monday, June 2, 2025.

Mr. Agyebeng explained that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has responded to the request by forwarding a copy of the case docket to EOCO. The move comes after the OSP flagged potential issues of money laundering and financial structuring—matters that fall outside its legal purview but are within EOCO's jurisdiction.

“It is the considered opinion of the OSP that the docket serves as a valuable background resource for EOCO to commence its own investigation in respect of aspects of the case the OSP does not have a direct mandate,” Mr. Agyebeng said.

The OSP initially opened an investigation in 2023 into suspected corruption involving large sums of cash and other valuables found in the possession of Cecilia Dapaah and individuals close to her. That investigation ran in parallel with a separate probe conducted by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Despite nearly seven months of inquiries, both the OSP and FBI were unable to uncover any direct evidence linking the former minister to acts of corruption. However, the OSP stated that its investigation had revealed “strong indications of suspected money laundering and structuring, beyond the direct mandate of the OSP.”

In January 2024, the OSP formally handed over the case to EOCO for further scrutiny based on those findings. But just four months later, in May 2024, EOCO returned the docket, arguing it lacked the authority to proceed. According to EOCO’s reasoning at the time, “money laundering is not a substantive offence but a collateral offence which must be founded on a predicate offence,” and since no predicate offence had been established, it could not continue with the investigation.

Now, the matter has taken a new turn.
According to Mr. Agyebeng, EOCO’s new leadership reignited interest in the case, writing to the OSP on May 14, 2025, to request the docket again for a fresh review and possible investigation.

“In response, under the cover of communication dated May 29, 2025, the OSP forwarded a duplicate docket of the case back to EOCO,” he disclosed.

Mr. Agyebeng also emphasized the willingness of his office to support EOCO in the renewed investigative effort. “The OSP would lend its full collaborative support to EOCO in its review and investigation and probable further action,” he assured.

The case, which stirred significant public and political interest in 2023, is now set to undergo a second phase of investigation, this time focused on financial crimes that EOCO has the direct legal mandate to pursue.